How Walt Disney World Compares to Universal Studios Orlando

The two biggest entertainment entities in Florida are Universal Orlando Resort {more commonly referred to as Universal Studios Orlando or Universal Studios, Florida) and Walt Disney World. Both have been developing new attractions and raising expectations within the last decade, so how do they compare? This comparison guide should serve as a snapshot of what to expect from the two destinations. Then you can decide where to have your next vacation. To keep things in perspective, here is a look at the size, history, and latest developments within the two locations. While I don't believe there's such a thing as “Disney versus Universal Studios” if you're in the early stages of planning a vacation and need help deciding where to go, I hope this will help you out!

How Walt Disney World Compares to Universal Studios Orlando

1. The size

Disney

Walt Disney World occupies 30,000 acres! That is twice the size of Manhattan and roughly the size of San Fransico. Out of all that space, Disney developed less than 8,000 acres. Disney uses only 1/7 of that for their four theme parks (Disney's Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and Disney's Animal Kingdom) which each take between 100-500 acres. The property contains over two dozen (and growing) Disney-owned and operated resort hotels. There are also two water parks, a sports complex, golf courses and Disney Springs, a mecca of shopping, dining, and entertainment with delightful Disney themeing.

Universal

Universal's three theme parks (Universal Studios Orlando, Islands of Adventure and the new Volcano Bay water park occupy a mere 250 acres. There are six resort hotels but Universal only owns and operates two of them. The resort also has Universal City Walk, which offers shopping, dining and entertainment comparable to Disney Springs but not as large and extensive…but still really awesome. I love the atmosphere, and, although there's a smaller selection of restaurants than what you'll find at Disney Springs you will still find good food.

My take on it:

My family has been to both Walt Disney World and Universal Studios Orlando. The size hasn't honestly made that much difference to us. You'll do the same amount of walking each day…you'll just need more days to thoroughly explore Disney since there are four parks versus two, excluding the water parks.

2. The history

Disney

Magic Kingdom

In 1971 Walt Disney World began as a single secluded theme park with two hotels atop Disney's property. The rest of the purchased land surrounded the planned site for a prototype city Walt Disney never got to oversee. That park was Magic Kingdom, a follow up to the much smaller Disneyland in California.

NOTHING is as magical as your first visit to the Magic Kingdom.

Epcot

The site for the planned community was used instead for a second park that would be a permanent World's Fair. The park retained the name Walt had given it, Epcot, which is an acronym for Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. The parks was referred to as Epcot Center when it opened in 1982, but we call it plain old Epcot today.

Disney's Hollywood Studios

One of the planned pavilions in Epcot was to be centered around Hollywood and movie magic, but the ideas expanded beyond the park and just 7 years later, in 1989 Disney MGM studios was opened as a part theme park/part working studio. The park had a studio tour which included real sets and special effects. Five years later saw the first expansion of Disney MGM Studios which added sunset Boulevard, a street that leads to two thrill rides, a Hollywood Bowl replica and a trail to an amphitheater for the nighttime spectacular Fantasmic!. Eventually MGM was removed and the park became Disney's Hollywood Studios. In 2014 the backlot tour closed down as part of a thematic change toward story immersion and away from behind the scenes movie magic.

Disney's Animal Kingdom

On Earth Day in 1998 Disney's Animal Kingdom opened. The Wild Animal Park/theme park Hybrid features Africa, Asia and America in the form of a land that celebrates prehistoric animals. Animal Kingdom was initially conceived to include a land for mythological beasts in the area that is now the Avatar themed land, Pandora.

Pandora: The World of Avatar at Disney's Animal Kingdom is beautiful. The movie Avatar is a little intense for my kids and they STILL loved everything about Pandora.

Universal

Universal in Florida has a much shorter history. The first park, Universal Studios Florida opened in 1990, the year following Disney MGM Studios. Universal Studios Florida also functioned for a brief time as a working studio, shooting television shows for Nickelodeon. This version of the famous Hollywood Universal theme park did not have a backlot tour, but it did feature more immersive encounters with King Kong and Jaws.

In 1999, the year after the opening of Disney's Animal Kingdom, Universal opened Islands of Adventure, which featured sections devoted to licensed property like Popeye, Dudley Do Right, Dr. Seuss, and Marvel. They also added Jurassic Park to the mix and interestingly enough a section for mythological creatures that featured a rollercoaster attraction suspiciously similar to a dueling dragons coaster that had been designed at Disney imagineering for Animal Kingdom.

I love this sign at the entrance of Islands of Adventure. Photo: Melinda Jae Photography

My take on it:

While the rich Disney history and nostalgia is hard to compete with, I don't think the newness of Universal causes one to enjoy it less. The Disney branding is definitely stronger and contributes to the overall Disney experience but the lack of history won't detract from your Universal Studios Orlando experience.

3. The latest and greatest

Disney

In the last ten years, Disney has been reworking Hollywood Studios to include more immersive experiences and do away with the backstage element. Part of that transition is the building of a new Star Wars themed land (Star Wars Galaxy's Edge opens in 2019 at Disney's Hollywood Studios: SQUEE!) and a hotel that promises a level of immersion that feels like something out of Westworld. In the meantime, they have the recently opened Toy Story Land which adds a much needed kid friendly element to the thrill oriented park.

Over in Animal Kingdom, Pandora: The World of Avatar was unleashed on an uncaring audience, meaning that Avatar wasn't a widely recognized brand for many of the younger Disney Parks visitors, but still managed to pack in guests and get rave reviews for the immersion, ride technology, food, and even the sold out merchandise. And truly, Pandora: The World of Avatar is so awesome that you don't have to be familiar with the movie to love it. Epcot now hosts three annual festivals which adds another layer on top of the education based park, plus new immersive experiences are being built including new Marvel and Pixar attractions, and a restaurant that will put diners in space. Sign me up for allll the things.

The newly-opened Toy Story Land at Disney's Hollywood Studios gives younger kids a space in what has traditionally been a “thrill ride” park…and the themeing is fabulous.

Magic Kingdom wowed guests with their Fantasyland expansion in 2012 including the dining experience Be Our Guest, which lets diners eat in the Ballroom and the West Wing of the enchanted castle. A refurbishment of the restaurant included a new Prix Fixe dinner menu that presents a more elevated and authentically French cuisine at a higher cost. We still have yet to experience Be Our Guest…you have to be Johnny on the Spot with a little bit of luck and Pixie Dust to get those coveted reservations.

Universal

Universal has seen the addition of a new Minions based attraction, a fleshed out Springfield USA (0ur favorite!) and a new 3D ride that takes guests into the world of Fast and Furious. There is even a Tonight Show themed ride that lets you race through NYC with Jimmy Fallon (we love this one even thought it made us a little dizzy). Harry Potter fans will also love Diagon Alley. It's amazing.

Volcano Bay is Universal's newest park. I have not yet been to Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach but I can say that Volcano Bay is the BEST water park I have ever been to, hands down. Photo: Universal Orlando Resort.

Islands of Adventure has a King Kong attraction that expands on the King Kong 360 portion of the studio tour in California and also offers a Harry Potter experience in Hogsmeade Village. If you have a park hopper pass (entry into both Universal Orlando and Islands of Adventure) you can go between Hogsmeade snf Diagon Alley via the Hogwarts Express. This is an experience not to be missed, even if you're not a Potterhead like me.

5. The verdict

I'm going to give you the very wishy washy answer of “it depends.” I don't think it's either or…but it's complicated. I don't think you should combine a Disney vacation and a Universal Studios Orlando vacation in one trip unless you have at least 10 days to spend in sunny central Florida. We've never gone to Orlando and visited both Disney and Universal on the same trip. Our trips have been five days or less and to try and crowd visits to both places in during that time frame doesn't sound appealing to our family, although it may to yours if you're a “gotta see everything” kind of vacationer.

For anyone who thinks “older kids won't enjoy Disney.”

Disney remains the best choice for a longer vacation. With four parks, two water parks, the sports center, golf and everything there is to do at Disney Springs, you could stay for a long time and not run out of things to do. While you can see most of Disney's Hollywood Studios in one day, it's nearly impossible to experience everything at the other three parks in a single visit. I am convinced I could go to Magic Kingdom for three days in a row and spend all day and still not see everything.

Universal has done a great job expanding and creating a destination for vacationing guests. This is a terrific two or three day vacation. If you've got Harry Potter fans in your family, the Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade Village areas are fantastic – although they are small spaces that are very crowded, which detracts a little bit. It is entirely possible to see and do most everything in the two parks in two days – Volcano Bay deserves it's own full day. If extensive and consistent themeing is important to you, Universal might not meet your expectations. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is pretty fantastic and the movie theme throughout Universal Studios Orlando is pretty consistent but the themeing in most of Islands of Adventure isn't that strong. It's still a great park leaves with some state-of-the-art attractions and clever show elements.

The Harry Potter themeing in Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade Village are fantastic.

Some say Universal skews older but I'm not sure that's entirely true. My kids' first visit to Universal was at six and they had a fantastic time. I think older kids who want more intense, thrilling rides may prefer Universal but there's broad appeal in both locations. Disney has its share of thrills, but they value the theme above the extreme. It's all down to what you like. I can definitely tell you anyone who says younger kids won't enjoy Universal is wrong.

I will say that I like the transportation at Universal a lot. If you stay on property you can walk to the parks or take the water taxi, which is a really fun experience on its own. It's unfair to compare that to Disney because you're dealing with much less physical space at Universal.

The water taxi is an awesome way to get around Universal Studios Orlando. Photo: Melinda Jae Photography

My bottom line is that you don't have to choose. If you have a longer vacation, you CAN do both, although I'd recommend dividing your vacation into Disney and Universal segments and moving resort hotels. If you have a shorter time to spend in the Orlando area, pick one and then start planning a return trip. It's really hard to answer the question of Disney versus Universal Studios because in my opinion, it's not that simple. Bottom line, Walt Disney World and Universal Studios Orlando are very special vacations and they deserve equal time…and you deserve equal time to enjoy them as they should be enjoyed.

Comments

Walt Disney World will always have a special place in my heart! I’ve been visiting since I was 6 and have cracked up 15 visits so far. But Universal is definitely giving WDW a run for their money recently. With them building a new waterpark, new hotels and the rumoured new theme park(!) I think it will be a hard toss up between the two.

All About Jill

Hey there and welcome! My name is Jill Robbins and this is my space on the internet. I’m happy you are here. Just so you know, if this weren’t the internet, I’d be smiling awkwardly and answering simple questions like “how are you today” with gems like “Me too!” and “Great, but I forgot to put on deodorant.” I’m that person.